The annual festival poster has been a local tradition for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts since 1974. With the festival’s 50th anniversary this year, Arts Fest has unveiled the Festival Poster Trail, making decades of the celebrated artwork available for the public to enjoy.
Vintage posters from the festival’s collection have been distributed to more than 30 Centre County businesses (see below). At any of the locations through June 24, individuals may pick up a free Poster Trail passport to keep track of their visits. Once filled with 10 stamps, passports can be deposited at Schlow Centre Region Library or the Central Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau for a chance to win gift certificates to the festival’s Sidewalk Sale & Exhibition, 2000 Degrees, Del Grosso’s Amusement Park, The Tavern, Discovery Space and Angelina’s Invigorating Hour.
“The Poster Trail encourages people to learn about the Festival’s rich history while exploring local businesses and organizations,” said Kathleen Raupach, Poster Trail Committee Chair.“It’s free to go on the trail, just as many of the events the festival produces are free”.
Lanny Sommese, Penn State Professor Emeritus of Graphic Design, created all the posters in the collection and also designed this year’s 50th anniversary poster. The oldest poster on display on the Trail is from 1978, with the most recent from last year.
The Trail is sponsored by Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County, the successor of the State College Chamber of Commerce, which was instrumental in founding the festival in 1967.
The 50th anniversary festival is July 13-17. Each year the festival draws more than 125,000 visitors to State College and University Park for the sidewalk sale and exhibition. Arts Fest also features musical performers throughout the weekend, an Italian street painting festival, book festival, a full day of children’s activities, giant sand sculpture and more.
The entire collection of his posters is on display in the HUB-Robeson Galleries at Penn State. The Centre County Historical Society is hosting an ‘Arts Festival at 50’ exhibition through mid-October.
The Festival Poster Trail includes the following locations:
State College
2000 Degrees., 202 West College Ave.
Alley Cat Music, 150 Kelly Alley
Angelina’s Invigorating Hour, 103 East Beaver Ave., #10
Appalachian Outdoors, 123 South Allen Street
Avant Garden, 242 East Calder Way
CATA Offices, 108 East Beaver Ave.
CBICC, 131 South Fraser Street #1
Christian Science Reading Room, 218 South Allen Street
Common Place, 115 South Fraser Street
Connections Clothing, 130 South Allen Street
Discovery Space, 112 West Foster Ave. #1
Dwellings Boutique, 358 East College Ave.
Kitchen Kaboodle, 104 West Beaver Ave.
Lion’s Pride, 112 East College Ave.
Moyer Jewelers, 100 East College Ave.
Penn State Federal Credit Union, 1937 North Atherton Street
Schlow Centre Region Library, 211 South Allen Street
State College Framing Company, 160 Rolling Ridge Drive
State College Presbyterian Church, 132 West Beaver Ave.
The Tavern, 220 East College Ave.
Webster’s Bookstore Cafe, 133 East Beaver Ave.
Woodring’s Floral, 146 South Allen Street
Penn State Campus
Hintz Family Alumni Center, Behind Hammond Building
PSU All-Sports Museum, 1 Beaver Stadium
PSU Arboretum, Bigler Road
Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800 East Park Avenue
Bellefonte
Big Spring Spirits, 198 Match Factory Space in Bellefonte
Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau, Bellefonte Historic Train Station, Tallyrand Park
Penn State Federal Credit Union, 123 Amberleigh Lane
Boalsburg
Seven Mountains Wine Cellars, 101 West Main Street in Boalsburg
Lemont
Organic Garden Center, 201-A Elmwood Street
